GlowQuote

I always thought that patience was something that I would sort of magically acquire when I ‘grew up’.
But I grew older, and patience never ‘happened’ ;)
I’ve always been a ‘quick’ person – I think quickly, I walk quickly, I talk quickly, I move quickly (my fingers are flying over the keyboard as I type this!), I’m always moving, I’m always in a hurry, and I’m naturally impatient :)
So sitting still and having patience is something I’ve had to learn :)

"The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg - not by smashing it." ~ Arnold Glasow

The thing is, it’s not so much that one learns patience, it’s more that one learns to ‘be patient’, because it’s the only way stuff happens properly – it’s the natural order of things.
Life unfolds as it does :)

"No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." ~ Epictetus

We all want things “Now Now NOW!” but it’s often our own impatience that undermines our success and sabotages our happiness :(
Things may not always happen in the time that we (mostly unrealistically) expect, but everything is always happening perfectly, in its right time :)
And the best thing we can do is to put our faith into action and then Get Out of our own way!

When we’re fretting and stressing about ‘why things aren’t happening!’, we start forcing and insisting and creating more resistance, which isn’t helpful.
We don’t make our most inspired choices when we’re stressed, and often we just mess everything up when we’re in a hurry!

'The biggest pitfall as you make your way through your life is impatience.' ~ Susan Jeffers

We’ll throw up our hands and say “Ok, that’s it! It’s just not going to happen”, when we’ve barely given ourselves a chance. We give up on all our efforts and we give up on what we really want, and then move onto the ‘next best thing’.
But we can’t expect our gardens to grow and blossom, when we keep digging up the seeds!

Adopt the pace of Nature; her secret is patience. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Since I’ve learned to become still (through meditation, and awareness), I’m a lot more patient than I was, and I’m consciously aware when I find myself slipping into impatience and anxiety. I’m approaching everything a lot more patiently these day, and it’s paying off :)
I don’t put myself under the same amount of pressure that I used to, and I don’t allow anyone else to put pressure on me either :)

I know that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be, and everything is unfolding in its perfect time :) And so it is :)

Here's to Rocking Your Wonderful Life with patience :) Allow the Good Stuff to unfold and flow and Get Your Glow On! :)

When we choose to follow our dreams there will always be challenging times, when we feel overwhelmed and start questioning our abilities and ourselves as to whether it's ‘really worth it’.

But there’s no doubt that persistence pays off. The only way to have, do, create and be what we want is to believe in ourselves, believe in our dreams and to keep going, diligently and courageously :)

Below, some of our inspiring GloWomen share what has inspired them to keep going as they’ve pursued their dreams:

Natasha Nay Avidan: Founding Fellow and Head of Partnerships, Sponsors and Communications at Afriversity, an organisation providing training, funding and incubation for promising African entrepreneurs.

Have you ever felt like giving up on your dreams?

“Yes, but it has been a long time since I have thought that way. Sometimes life can throw challenges at us and everything feels hard causing us to slip into a fearful state of mind. Fear is what stops us from following our dreams. We give up because we are afraid, afraid of failure.”

What or who has inspired or encouraged you to keep going?

"The first thing I did was change my environment and started surrounding myself with people and projects that inspired me. I was creating my "tribe". A tribe of people that encouraged me, supported me and allowed me to grow and be myself. During this journey, I encountered people that strengthened my faith that I had taken the right path - people that inspire me with their stories, determination and altruism. Individuals that have shown me that despite taking the path less travelled, the rewards are far greater. I take all these experiences and when I have a "rainy day", I bring them to the forefront of my consciousness and re-energise my perseverance and purpose."

Shauna Bruce-Hamburger: Life-coach, teacher, inspirational speaker and author of Beyond Adversity: Into Freedom.Shauna has faced many of her own challenges in living a life with Spina Bifida and helps others overcome their obstacles to live their most fulfilling lives.

"Yes - I have wanted to give up on my dreams or certain aspects of my business before - especially when I have not known what else to do to make something in my business be more successful.

What has always inspired me to keep going - whether it be in life or business, is remembering that I am here for a purpose. Reconnecting with my life's purpose - and the knowing that I am here with a purpose that only I can accomplish in the way that I can accomplish it - has always kept me moving forward. This has been true in every aspect of my life whether it be in living with spina bifida, my business or other aspects of my life. When we know we are on this earth for a reason and we have things we were created to accomplish - that knowing can spur us on to do the great things we were meant to do - even in the midst of obstacles and challenges. It has always been my strong sense of purpose that has been the driving force for everything in my life - even when I am in the midst of a struggle."

Jess Ainschough: Australian-based freelance writer. Jessica was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer in 2008, and left her job as social reporter and online editor of a teen magazine, to focus on her health. She shares tips, resources, articles and nutritious recipes for natural healing and wellness on her wonderful blog, The Wellness Warrior.

"Nope, giving up has never been an option. I have had my days when I get a bit sick of everything I'm doing, but I have always been able to see the bigger picture. As bad as things can get, giving up would be so much worse.

Thinking about my future is what inspires me to keep going. I just think about all the things I have got to look forward to and reflect on all of the blessings that are coming out of my journey. This gives me the determination and patience to do what I need to do to get my health back."

"No haven't wanted to give up. Its our baby, we love what we do and we love helping the tribal women provide a better lifestyle for themselves and their families while preserving their textile traditions.

Our customers inspire me, when they get their shoes or dresses and they write to tell us how excited they are. Today a customer wrote to say "she couldn't wait for sunny weather to dance in her new dress." On a day to day basis my husband always encourages me and my girls, Amy, my partner of course and the younger ones have ideas of new designs they think we should make." - Barbara Grafstrom

"No, I have never wanted to give up on my dream. I started this business in 2005 with only my own jewelry designs and it's definitely been a long journey to get to where we are today with a full range of products. There is still a long way to go, we have big plans for Siamese Dream Design's future.

My mother, Barbara, my partner definitely is my number one inspiration. She is the one who gave us that extra boost to go from just jewelry to so much more. The wonderful hilltribe women that we work with to create our unique products are definitely a major source of encouragement. Watching their age old textile traditions being passed down from mother to daughter is truly amazing. And of course, our very enthusiastic customers." - Amy Grafstrom

Madeleine Fear: Owns and operates the Small Furry Hotel, a small animal boarding facility in the New Forest Hampshire, UK. Madeleine was a finalist in the Business Mum Extraordinaire Hampshire Winning Women Business Awards 2010.Congrats Madeleine! :)

"Never! You only fail if you give up. Resilience is the key. Don't be scared of making a mistake. Brush of the bad stuff and run with the good and success will follow.
The complete desperation to run my own life drives me on. I decide when I work, play and have family time. My own business allows me the freedom to enjoy all the things that I love. I "live" everyday. I do plan for the future but I also enjoy life now. I now think I would be mentally suffocated in an office."

Kathleen Quillinan: HRH at the Pesto Princess. About 10 years ago, Kathleen Quillinan discovered pesto for herself, and tried her hand at it with the help of a 1970's orange blender from a junk shop. She started selling to friends, small supermarkets and deli's in Cape Town, and now produces a range of pestos and exotic sauces that are available countrywide in South Africa.

Pic courtesy of www.capetownmagazine.com

"Yes, I've often wanted to give up. Following dreams can fill one's life with extremes: extreme hours, acute cash crunches, severe self-neglect, copious worries, colossal doubts, and fears bigger than barn doors. The triumphs are also extreme. The successes can be nothing short of stupendous. Yet deep down, many of us long for a simple life which is much more balanced, safe and predictable.

There'll always be challenges that test your commitment and it's not always easy to follow your heart, but if you abandon your hopes and dreams, you disconnect from your authentic self and your own happiness.

I was excited to go to Khayelitsha, to deliver the beautiful Story Scarves and share the stories with the four eldest girls I mentor at Emma's foster home.Mama Emma is a wonderful foster Mother to 25 children, ranging in age from six months to eighteen years. She has provided a home full of Love :) and a nurturing environment for abandoned and orphaned children, most of whom have been with her since the age of one or two.

I’ve gotten to know the children over the years and it truly is one Big Happy Family at Emma’s. It’s heart-warming to see how they all love and take care of one another. When I arrived the girls were looking after the little ones.

We sat down with the Story Scarves and each girl knew exactly which one she wanted, straight away :)

L to R: Ziyanda, Siyamthanda, Avril and Violet

The girls took turns to read their messages out aloud and shared the stories on the scarves with each other. They wrote down how they felt when they received the scarves and shared their hopes and dreams.

“I feel very happy to get the scarf because it is beautiful. My hope and dream is to work for my Mother (Emma) and to have my own house.” ~ Siyamthanda Wallaby

Siyamthanda chose Pam's scarf - "Seeds Grow from Darkness"

“I feel happy and excited about my scarf. My hope and dream is to have a hair salon and do all my family’s hair.” ~ Ziyanda Wallaby

Ziyanda chose Bennii's Scarf - "Remember your Gratitude"

“It felt great, ecstatic, lots of joy. My hope and dream is to be able to have more achievements, to have my own house and to help Emma.” ~ Violet Tshandu

Violet chose Nicole's scarf - "The Four Elements"

“I felt happy when I received my scarf and excited and glowing. I think it motivates me even more so I can face each day with a glow and smile.My hope and dream is to be a television reporter and one day have my own television show.” ~ Avril Dilenti

Love and Gratitude to the generous GloWomen – Stacey from Story Scarves, Pam, Nicole and Bennii, for the beautiful scarves and inspiring stories they shared with the girls.They are delighted with their scarves and encouraged for a bright future :)If You’d like to Spread the Glow with Story Scarves please visit the website for more info www.storyscarves.org If You’d like to Spread the Glow at Emma’s Home please contact me bets@GloWoman.orgDonations of clothing, food and toys are very welcome :)With Love,Related Posts:

Part of my mission on my GloWoman journey is to connect and align with conscious, loving people in order to amplify our Power for Good and Spread the Glow :)

The Twitterverse offered me a fantastic opportunity to create more wonderful relationships when I was invited to my first tweet-up, by Stacey Rozen, founder of Story Scarves.

Story Scarves is a global goodwill movement connecting girls through stories sewn into scarves. The scarves are gifted to girls in Africa – "creating hope-fueled friendships through arts-in-action".

I had no idea what to expect at the tweet-up. To be honest, I thought I was going to be meeting my new Twitter friends for brekkie and a chat.
As it turned out, Stacey had brought along her bags of fabric, buttons and beads and we were going to be making Story Scarves.

At this point, I have to admit :) my excitement turned to anxiety. ‘Needlework’ had never been my strong point and I’d always hated it! Just the sight of all that fabric and thread on the table had me feeling more dread by the minute.
This was not going to be a leisurely breakfast and getting to know some of my Twitter friends.
This most definitely looked like hard work!

GloWoman was out of her comfort zone and had temporarily gone AWOL and Woe-Woman had taken her place in my seat, with upper-lip anxiety perspiration and decidedly sweaty hands :)
I was right back at school, aged 8 or 9 and about to be told off in needlework class, because the fabric I was working on always ended up looking like a damp, crushed rag.

And not one to do things quietly, I was proclaiming my 'uselessness' to the world :)
Unconsciously back in my old pattern, Stacey thankfully made aware of it when she actually told me to stop my negative self-talk! :) :)

That’s when I started to laugh! Suddenly I realised I wasn’t in Grade 3, the teacher wasn’t going to reprimand me, and I was actually there to enJOY myself! :)

Busy Bets hard at work! :)

So what if the other women were confidently cutting and threading needles and making fabulous-looking items, I would just do my best and have fun!
Everyone was kind and really helpful :) and it was great getting to know the wonderful women who Stacey had brought together on South Africa’s Human Right’s Day; to tell their stories, sew their scarves and share their love.

I chose to sew on my beautiful GloWoman logo which I LOVE :) and my friend, the bright, happy Sun :) All the exact colours of my logo that I needed were there in the pile, including a red heart that someone had previously cut out and left :)

Stacey had kindly suggested that the recipients of these Story Scarves would be the girls I mentor, at Emma’s Home in Khayelitsha township, Cape Town.
Each of us was asked to include a written message for the girls.

And in the end, I was quite proud of my Story Scarf and it didn’t end up looking like the dog’s breakfast I thought it would :) – even though I stitched one side on backwards!
It’s unique and made by me, with Love :)

We needn’t look back with regret at ‘missed opportunities’ or ‘the one that got away’.

There is no shortage of opportunities available to us. In our abundant Universe, opportunities abound :)

“No matter what did or did not happen in your past, the present remains the endless fount of miraculous opportunities.” ~ Marianne Williamson

We live in the totality of possibilities – available to each and every one of us :) And when we’re ready and willing to allow them, opportunities appear.

Being ready and willing to allow opportunities means that you have to be clear on what you want and commited to achieving it.

"The moment one definitely commits oneself, the Providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help that would never otherwise occurred. A stream of events issues from the decision, raising unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way."~ W.H. Murray.

You need to start preparing for the opportunities that you want. Unless you’re prepared to accept them, those opportunities are going to keep passing you by.

Being prepared means doing what needs to be done, learning what you need to know and putting yourself in a position where you are ready to accept opportunities when they appear. When you show up consistently for what you want, you’ll create more opportunities to get there :)

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ~ Seneca

You can create the opportunities you want by asking for them and actively seeking them out. When you start taking steps towards what you want, you’ll start to see opportunities appear.

Don't sit around and complain that 'there aren't any opportunities'. Start doing what you love and get out and share it with your friends, your neighbours, community organisations and anyone who needs it.
Just get on with it :) , make mistakes, learn as you go, get better at it and opportunities will soon be knocking at your door :)

You’ll invite more opportunities by sharing more, giving more, serving more and loving more as you allow Abundance to flow.

"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'"~ Brian Tracy

Some of our greatest opportunities arise out of adversity, so we need to learn to recognise our blessings in disguise :)

Challenging circumstances always provide us with opportunities to develop, learn and grow :)

“You can learn to view each apparent obstacle as an opportunity to develop a new quality, strength, skill, insight or wisdom and be grateful for the lessons. Each challenge is an opportunity for growth and expansion.”~ Jack Canfield

You were born to do what you love :), to Rock your Passion and share your greatest gifts in service to the world.

“There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there's only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen.” ~ Wayne Dyer.

All the opportunities to live your Most JOYful Life are available to you when you allow them to appear.
Are you ready and willing to expect, recognise and accept the opportunities to Rock your Happiness and Get Your Glow On? :)

Profile

Hi and thanks for stopping by! ☺︎
I'm an inspirational writer, motivational speaker and presenter in the field of Personal Growth and Development.
In 2010 I founded GloWoman® to inspire women to live their most emPowered and JOYful lives and Get their Glow On.
GloWoman® is an expression of what comes naturally to me: Positivity, Encouragement, Inspiration and Connection.
I offer inspirational talks; private consultations and mentor sessions and individual, group and corporate workshops to help women embrace their personal power, Rock their Happiness, shine their Light and Get their Glow ON!
When We Get our Glow ON, we CAN Light UP our World! ☺︎
Please get in touch, I'm looking foward to hearing from you :) Email me: bets{at}glowoman.org